The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-11-29

Life in the Bush.
II has been reported at different Tires that
many Of the natives on the northeastern
coast Of Australia are cannibsls, but this
charge has never been brought against even
the worst OF the west Australian blacks.
They are hideous race and about as low in
the scale OF civilization ns il is possible 20 90.
To see a native girl digging in the ground
for dalgcits and boobies their names for two
kinds OF small burrowing marsupials the
flesh OF which they esteem very highly,
crouching on her launches and breaking
AWAY the earth with long stick in one hand,
while with the nails and fingers Of the other
hand she throws II behind her, for all the
world like q dog burrowng after rat, Is as
disgusting a sight as IT Is possible for man
and brother 10 behold unless It be- 10 see
her lord and master lying asleep and II he
had the opportunity Of getting grog drunk
in the hut close by. with perhaps TWO or
three old hays, a couple Of half starved kan
CARGO hounds and a mass Of skins, oloSsum
remains and filth, which makes one turn
away with loathing from the scene.
The huts which they build for themselves
are the most temporary and toughest Kind Of
constructions. A few large branches leaning
together in the shape Of a round hut covered
sometimes with strips Of bark of the paper
bark a tree that affords tough and fibrous
covering. and only large enough for three OF
four TO lie down in, and pretty close together
too. Such is their idea Of "hOme.'
The utmost limit of their clothing IN the
bush Is a kangaroo skin cloak and a band OF
hair which they tie around their heads 70
keep their own swarthy locks out Of their
ewes In the north and where white men are
scarce they 20 entirely naked, and appear 10
be without the sense Of shame. Every man
has the right 70 three or four wives, and they
generally have them Of very various ages
An old gray haired man often has "a wife 81
l2 years old among others 10 ls. Of course
rather n stretch Of language to call them
wives, for they have no kind Of marriage
ceremony, and are a. often secured bN Oh
duction as lv purchase This WAY Of win
ming IA wife is naturally conducive Ia con-
slant fighting. which forms large part OF
the interest II their lives, the more 50 as.
owing 70 the low value sct upon wonens
lives. that sex (which il Is really impossible
IN this connection 20 speak Of ms the FAIR SEX
il scarce
They eat any kind Of food they can lay
their hands upon, meat of any kind. OF
course and no matter how stale the fat and
ontrnis quite uncoOked and the remainder
scarcely more prepared Snakes. lizards.
frogs. white ants, grubs Of almost any kind
and the bodies Of some kinds of moths they
esteem highly The women, who always
have 10 do anything in the way Of carrying
that has - be done carry their babies
tpickanniesl slung over their backs iu kan
garoo skin If woman has not got baby
10 carry, or sometimes even If size has, She
carries a bag made of the same material, the
contents Of which constitute their onl, food
against future want Ii is an awful thing 10
zee the contents of this bag The writer ha,
seen two women, who had come mp 10 an
Australian station to beg for food given the
remains Of Il rice pudding IN pudding dish.
The one who carried the bag took 10 down
off her shoulders and gravcy began 10 un-
load it--on top, perhaps, two or three crusts
Of bread, green with mold. then piece Of
raw meat half putrefed; an old tobacco pipe,
an OpoSsum's skin: some red clay little
greasy; black hair, and az last a very dirty
piece Of an old flannel shirt was reached
This. which was about a foot square, was
spread carefully on the ground. The contents
of the pudding dish were scooped into 1t with
most filthy hand 1t was neatly and gravely
folded up and put back in the bottom OF the
bag, and then the other yaluables were re-
placed on top Of il
And vet, though so degraded, they are far
from useless, these creatures They make
tolerably good shepherds, can bc taught to
use their hands skillfullv in any way that is
desired and the good ones among them may
be trusted 10 do things that many white
man would not do well and conscieutiously
Settlers will send their horses long distances
in charge Of "blackfell,sy, and sheep, too,
are often ntrusted TO them 20 drive 20 out
lying stations or down into the town 20 mar
ket
Even those Of them who have been brought
most near 10 a state OF civilization require
every now and then a month i'm a savage
state in the bush, and after working perhaps
about the stable yard, in clothes, and appear
ing quite domesticated for months together
they will suddenly inform their employer,
"Me walkaway morning." which Is equva-
lent 10 saying that they require holiday
And next morning they may be seen airily
clad in a single kangaroo skim their black
hair all stained red and clOtted with IA horri-
Bile mixture Of red clay and grease called
"wilglo, and carrying d small shield couple
Of spears and as many boOmerangs on keileys
as they call them, setting out for month
in the woods with three OF four more Of their
tribe
When natives are out IN the bush 1t is nee
essary for them always to 90 fully armed, for
almost every native of another tribe Is their
enemy 20 the death, and they are broken up
into great number Of tribes. Ii native of
one tribe dies member Of another tribe has
10 be killed. This is the nearest thing they
have 10 any religious code, and 1t Is IN vain
that white men have tried 10 stamp out the
savage custom. Their principal weapon Of
offense is the spear the bow and arrow being
quite unknown among them.
They have no ideas, however rudimentaiy,
OF creator OF supreme being, and the only
consciousness Of the supernatural which they
seem 10 have is fear of evil spirits; these
they appear TO associate with dead people
who have been left unburied. They attribute
all illness 10 the Vaccinations OF these bad
spirits.
They are very cruel 10 their women
Gems as they call them, making them